L'air de la Louisiane
by Avant Garden
Summary: BulmaVegeta story set in the year 1814 in New Orleans.
1. Default Chapter

_April 12, 1814___

   Bulma's hand worked the lace fan vigorously as she walked along the steps leading to the top deck of the _Paradis_. The sails snapped above her and a warm, muggy breeze blew back a few loose strands of aquamarine hair.

   The bright sunlight was a contrast to the dark lower deck from which she had come. She could smell the land. Swamp grasses and rich black soil. It wasn't very different from her own home in Mobile. She had left only two days earlier and though she hated to admit it, she felt a bit of relief when they had pulled out of port. Leaving Mobile meant leaving behind her ex-fiancé, Yamcha.

   They had been the perfect couple. Everyone said so. He came from a respected family in Savannah and was heir to his father's cotton plantation. Her father owned a successful shipping company. And besides all of that, she had loved him.

  They were to be married that June. That is, until she caught him with another woman weeks earlier.

  Of course he apologized; he begged and pleaded with her. Vowed that it would never ever happen again and she may have believed him. 

  Until a friend of hers, a girl she had known since childhood confessed to Bulma that she had slept with him too, as well as a few others.

   That, of course, was too much. Bulma broke their engagement and firmly refused to hear anything he had to say to her. This enraged him.

   One night he showed up at her door and tried to force himself on her. Luckily the servants had heard her scream and came to her rescue but not before she had the chance to smell the whiskey on his breath. 

   As two of the servants dragged him to a carriage to take him home he screamed obscenities back at her. Reminding her of things she knew all to well.

   She was twenty-six years old and un-married. Most all of her friends had already been happily married for a few years and already had several children.

   And here she was well on her way to being a spinster.

  His words cut her to the bone. Yamcha never would have said such things to her if he hadn't been drunk. But drunk or sober didn't make them any less true.

  She hadn't seen him after that incident. After he sobered up and realized what happened he was probably too embarrassed to come back around. He had most likely tucked tail and ran back to Savannah.

   Bulma stopped her pacing and stood at the railing. The wide banks of the Mississippi river were filled with cypress trees. Their knotted roots stood in the muddy water with veils of Spanish moss swaying in their skeletal branches.

   An alligator made a splash as he crawled into the water, his armored body disappearing into the placid water. A few passengers stood at the railing throwing biscuits to seagulls.

   Yamcha wasn't the reason she left of course, although he was an incentive to. Her mind drifted back to the day she received the news of her father. Captain Briefs.

   It had been roughly three months ago. Her father had left with his ship carrying cargo out of Mobile. While at sea his ship was stopped by a British vessel. The British officers came aboard Capt. Briefs' ship searched and seized the cargo.

   When they checked the identification papers for the crew it was discovered that Capt. Briefs had been born in England.

He had come to America with his parents when he was a baby and was an American citizen.

  The officers disregarded this and claimed that her father was a traitor to the crown; he was put in chains and taken onboard the British ship along with two other sailors who had also been born in Britain. 

   When the men came to inform her of her fathers capture Bulma went straight to the home of her father's attorney, Mr. Higgins. He was a very elderly man and close friend of the family.

   Bulma begged and pleaded with him hysterically to do something. Of course he didn't have the power to do anything, when her said this Bulma had slumped to the floor weeping.

   He comforted her as best he could and promised to do what he could. When she couldn't cry anymore she got up, thanked him and went directly home. There was business to be taken care of and she wasn't going to let her fathers' company die.

  She was his only heir. Bulma's mother had died of a fever when she was only six months old. To Captain Briefs, she had been the love of his life; he remained a widower and raised Bulma by himself. 

  Being a wealthy man he had given her everything she could have ever wanted.

   But he was now a prisoner and she had to do something.

Bulma reimbursed the merchants whose cargo had been stolen and with the help of her fathers' accountant and lawyer she took over the shipping company.

   One day she received word from Mr. Higgins. He wanted her to meet him late that evening, alone. He had very important business to discuss. She was to meet him at his office.

   Bulma went to him that night under the cover of darkness expecting just to see her old friend Mr. Higgins. When she stepped through the door of his office she was escorted to the back room by a man she had never seen before. 

  There at a table in the back sat Mr. Higgins with three strange men. One of them was dressed elegantly while the other two seemed very common.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mr. Higgins motioned for her to sit.

 "Bulma my dear. I have some very good news for you. It seems that you father is alive and being held on the British warship the navigator somewhere in the gulf of Mexico."

Bulma's eyes brightened with the news. It was possible that he was only a few miles from where she sat. She struggled to find words in her excitement.

"My father! Is there something that can be done? Could we negotiate his return?"

"Not likely." One of the men spoke. "I seriously doubt that they would be so obliging." 

Bulma felt her heart sink. "Can't someone do something? We have a Navy can't they… or I could hire a crew!"

The men shook their heads.

"Why did you call me here to tell me this then? What good is it to know where my father is and not be able to do anything!?"

  Mr. Higgins asked her to keep her voice down. Bulma grabbed the decanter from the table and poured herself a glass of bourbon, downing it in one draught and slamming the glass down on the table. She really didn't care about appearing a lady at the moment.

 The well dressed gentleman smiled and refilled her glass. Bulma glared at him, how could he grin like that while she was so distraught?

  "Ah but Mademoiselle, I may have a solution for you."

  His voice was soft and lilting, southern but with a touch of French. He was Creole. She took the glass before her, this time sipping the whiskey.

"I'm listening."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The Creole gentleman had been Monsieur Maurice Lasserre an attorney. He told her of his colleague in New Orleans. His colleague had connections with a man that could possibly get her father back.

  But it had to remain very secret, Bulma was to go to New Orleans to meet with his "colleague" and negotiate. She was not to speak of her plans to anyone.

  She would leave for New Orleans; Mr. Higgins would run the business in her absence. Everything was set.

  And so, here she was now. 

"Look!"

 A young boy yelled excitedly. Bulma turned to see the towers of the cathedral over the tops of the cypresses. All of the passengers rushed to rails to see the city as it came into view.

  Bulma went below to her cabin and began to pack her satchel. She had traveled very lightly, just a few necessities. She could buy anything she would need in New Orleans.

  M. Lasserre had assured her that someone would meet her when she arrived at the docks and escort her to wherever she needed to go, he hadn't told her himself. Bulma thought all the secrecy was a little excessive but was willing to do whatever she had to to get her father back. 

   The boat docked with a thud. Everyone stopping at New Orleans was lined up by the gangplank. When Bulma stepped down onto the levee it took her a moment to get used to the land again. 

   Amid all the madness of the sailors and passengers and all the people rushing about the levee, Bulma pushed her way through the crowd and found a bench to sit and wait for her escort.

   Eventually the crowd thinned and mostly disappeared. No one was left but the sailors tending to the ships, and her. She was beginning to wonder if it was all a sham. 

  But Mr. Higgins wouldn't do that to her, unless he had been fooled as well. Bulma fanned herself and attempted to fight off the waves of mosquitoes, to no avail.

  The sun was beginning to set and the sky was changing from a powdery blue to a vivid purple and crimson. If someone didn't show in the next ten minutes she was going to find a hotel. 

  Just as Bulma stood to leave she noticed a woman about her age coming towards her. She was dressed simply in a blue skirt and cotton blouse. Her skin was the color of honey while her eyes and hair were black as coal. She was beautiful and a stark contrast to Bulma's ivory complexion, aquamarine hair and crystal blue eyes.

   The woman stopped in front of Bulma. And spoke in accented English.

"Parle moi mademoiselle, are you Bulma?"

  Bulma glanced down at the woman's bare feet then back up. 

"Yes, I am Miss Bulma Briefs."

  The woman smiled, and to Bulma's surprise, hugged her.

"My name is Chi-Chi. Follow me please."

*******************************************************************************

 Let me clarify a few things you may not know.

Bulma is referring to the city of Mobile in what is now known as the state of Alabama. It is a city on the gulf of Mexico.

Savannah is an old city in Georgia.

And New Orleans is a city in Louisiana, (though I should hope you have heard of it ;)

  And this story will be loosely base upon the privateer Jean Lafitte and take place around the war of 1812. It won't be historically accurate but interesting nonetheless. (I hope)

Any questions, please e-mail me. I will try and answer as best I can.

Oh, and please please please review!

  . 


	2. Chapter 2

Promenade dans un bois la vielle Louisiane  
Les ombres lougnes nos pas silents  
l'air de la Louisiane  
Toi et moi ne parlant pas  
en sucant d'la canne  
Pour un instant je suis content en  
l'air de la Louisiane  
Pour un instant je suis content en  
l'air de la Louisiane

A walk in the woods of old Louisiana  
the shadows are long  
Our steps are silent in the Louisiana air  
You and I say nothing as we suck sugar cane  
For one minute I'm happy in the Louisiana air.

Bulma picked up her satchel. With her head held high she followed the woman across the levee.

"Excuse me, but where are we going?"

Chi-Chi grinned a little. "All things in time. Just follow me."

Bulma wrinkled her nose, slightly annoyed with her answer. Her guide didn't seem to notice.

"Watch your step." She warned as they stepped up onto the banquette.

They walked together past the shops that lined the narrow streets. Many of the markets had closed or were beginning to close for the evening. Still the city seemed to be bustling. They passed by a musician playing on a violin who smiled and nodded to Chi-Chi.

"This way."

Bulma was pulled by her arm down an alley way. They emerged in an area filled with houses all painted beautiful colors and built right next to the street.

Flowering vines entwined themselves around the elaborate wrought iron fences. Huge banana trees flourished and exotic looking blooms burst out from the window boxes. The air was perfumed with flowers.

Bulma was admiring one of the courtyards when she was pulled around another corner. This time she emerged into a public square near a huge church. Bulma gasped in awe.

"That is the Cathedral of Saint Louis. Beautiful, non?"

"Yes, it's lovely."

Unfortunately, Chi-Chi was walking so fast that Bulma didn't have time to have a very good look. She passed by a street vendor, a dark skinned woman with a blue scarf on her head and a large basket of something that smelt delicious.

"_Bella callas, tout chaude_!"

The smell of food made Bulma realize that she was very hungry. Walking by a street café only intensified her hunger.

"Do we have much farther to go?"

"No, not far. Just down this street."

The women turned to go down a very small street. On the corner stood a life-size statue of a man on a horse. Chi- Chi motioned to it as they passed by.

'This is the Rue du Chevalier.

At the third house down from the statue Chi-Chi stopped.

"Here we are."

Chi-Chi took Bulma satchel from her and opened the massive door. She pointed in the direction of the parlor.

"You can wait in there. Monsieur will be with you soon."

Bulma hadn't realized just how tired she was until she took a seat in one of the high backed chairs in the parlor. She hadn't really slept on the ship, her mind had been reeling the whole time. Even now, she couldn't make herself relax. Who was this man whose house she was in now. He was practically a stranger, an acquaintance of an acquaintance of a friend, who may be able to help her, or maybe not.

What if she had come all this way for nothing? No. She couldn't let herself think like that, she needed to be positive.

_Easier said than done.___

The sound of a door opening caused Bulma to jump. Heavy footsteps were heard coming her way. Bulma stood and put on her best business face to meet this stranger with.

A tall, distinguished man who looked to be in his forties. He extended his hand.

"Miss Briefs, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Bardock. Please, let us talk in my office."

Bulma followed the man to a door at the end of the hallway. He opened it and gestured for her to enter.

"Please, sit down. You must be tired. How was your trip?"

"It went well. Thank you for sending your maid to meet me at the docks, I would have been quite lost without her."

Bardock looked puzzled.

"My maid?"

"Yes, Chi Chi. Is she not you maid?"

Bardock smiled. "Not quite. But never mind that. I've been informed of you situation and I offer you my condolences. I know of many cases such as this. I will do everything in my power to help you but I make no promises as to the return of your father."

He paused to give Bulma a chance to speak.

"I understand sir, please go on."

"I have spoken to a friend of mine about you Miss Briefs. He has agreed to meet with you but he is…temperamental, at best. Once again, I make no promises…

Bulma could almost feel her heart sinking. If this man wouldn't help her she did not know what else she could do, where she could turn. She hated feeling helpless and the fate of her father rested in the hands of a person she'd never even met.

"But before you agree to anything Miss Briefs, I need you to understand. My friend is known for operating somewhat outside of the law. If this is to work your complete cooperation and utter discretion is needed. Do you understand this?"

She took a long time to answer. This was not exactly what she expected. She was hoping to work out a deal with the British, bargain for her fathers safety. Not to get involved with criminals. But what could be done?

"Sir, I am willing to do whatever it may take to get my father back safely."

Bardock nodded his head. "Good then, you will leave as soon as possible but first, you must be hungry. Come, I'll have the cook prepare something for you."

_Leave?! Leave for where??!!_

Her mind was screaming but she stayed composed as Bardock escorted her to the dining room. She couldn't worry, all she could do would be simply put her trust in these strangers.

_What have I gotten myself into?_

__

The food had been delicious and Bulma had eaten so quickly that she spilled soup on her skirts, thankfully it didn't stain. Bardock had tried to make small talk but Bulma was too lost in her own thoughts to have a conversation. She just nodded her head politely as he spoke but didn't hear a word he said.

Her trance was broken by the sound of a hound barking followed by the sound of the front door opening. Bardock rose from his seat.

"Excuse me Miss Briefs. I'll only be a moment."

Bulma leaned toward the foyer where Bardock and his guest were talking. They were speaking in hushed voices so she only caught a word or two, though that was enough to be certain they were talking about her. When she heard the men coming she stood and straightened her skirt.

"Miss Briefs, I'd like you to meet Nappa. He will be your escort."

The first instinct Bulma had when she saw Nappa was to take a step back. The second was to run, but she didn't give in to it. He looked to be well over six feet tall and very muscular. His clothing was that of a sailor, a particularly dirty sailor. Grinning, he removed his hat and bowed, never once taking his gaze off of Bulma.

"A pleasure to meet ya."

Swallowing hard she forced a smile. "Likewise."

Sensing the tension, Bardock cleared his throat and nudged Nappa as if to give him a warning.

"Miss Briefs, as I said earlier Nappa will be your escort. You will leave as soon as you are ready, Chi-Chi will be going with you as well."

Just then, Chi-Chi appeared holding Bulma's bags. She handed them to Nappa and smiled pleasantly.

"All your things are ready. I'd like to leave soon so we can be there before nightfall."

Bulma nodded slowly, not really understanding. "Be where?"

The next thing she knew she was being helped into a small, flat bottomed boat and having her luggage tossed at her.

"All set?"

Nappa growled as he pushed away from the shore and pushed through the muddy water with a long wooden pole. Chi-Chi sat beside her and rested her head on one of Bulma's bags.

The water got darker and the trees and brush got thicker, blocking out the sunlight as they went farther into the swamp. Bulma jumped when she heard a big splash just to her left. She glanced at Chi-Chi only to find her asleep.

_How can a person possibly sleep through this? I suppose it would be easier to relax if I knew where I was going._

Bulma had asked but no one would tell her exactly where they were going to. The sun had sank farther down and the swamp seemed to come alive. It was too dark to make out exactly what was out there, all she could see was shadows.

"How much farther is it?"

Nappa grinned when he saw how afraid she was. "We'll get there soon enough."

Despite her nervousness, Bulma felt herself slowly slipping off to sleep. Her body and mind were too tired to fight it anymore.

She awoke with a start when the boat ran into the muddy banks. Nappa stepped out and tied it to a small dock. Chi-Chi took his extended hand and pulled herself to up onto shore. Bulma followed but her stiff legs wouldn't cooperate. She would have fallen if Nappa hadn't caught her and slung her up on shore as it she were a rag doll.

When Nappa started to walk off Bulma started to follow behind him. Chi-Chi grabbed her arm and pulled her the other way.

"It's this way, Mademoiselle."

"Please call me Bulma."

She smiled. "Bulma, this way. And please try to relax, you are quite safe here with me."

Bulma nodded but didn't feel anymore at ease. Her stomach was queasy with anticipation and her legs were cramped from sitting for so long.

But when she turned the corner she forgot everything. A magnificent house stood there in the center of what seemed to be a small city. Torches burned illuminating the path to the house.

Chi-Chi smiled and held her arms out to behold the city.

"Welcome to Barataria, Bulma!"

Ta-Da! You would think after all the time I've taken I could write a longer chapter. There really is no good excuse for me taking so long to update. I've just been a very busy person. I'll try to be a little better about updating from now on. Anyway, please review! Thanks!


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